Gyroscopic compass.



UNTED STATES PATENT @MCE MAX SCHULER, OF NEUMHLEN, NEAR KIEL, GERMANY, ASSIG-NOB TO ANSCHUTE L CO., OF NEUMHLEN, NEAR KIEL, GERMANY'.

GYRoSCoPIc COMPASS.

'0 all wimm- Z may coneern Be it known that I, Max SCHULER, en gineer7 a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Heikendoifer veg 9, New lniihlen, near Kiel, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to ('ilyroscopie Compasses, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to a gyroscopic Compass in which the axis of the gyroscope is fixed b v gravity in ihe horizontal plane and therefiin'e makes oscillations aboutl the N. S. direeion. Si uultaneously with these oscillations in luie horizoutai plane, the axis makes small oeciliaions in the veri' 'al plane.

The invention comprises a device for damping these os illations by u'orli performed by the gyroseope during' the veriieal oscillations. To that end, on the movable system of the gyroseopic compass` in the N. S. direc-tion are arranged two vesseis containing a liquid and connected by a cap illary tube of a given time of passage. Duringthe oscillation of the gyroscopic axis, differences of level are produced in the two vessels. Consequently liquid is forced from one vessel into the other, and the energy required for the purpose, which during the, passage through the narrow eross-see tion of the tube, is converted into heat, must be supplied by the oscillating' spindle of the gyrosoope. lV or that reason, the ainplif tudes of oscillation ile-Creane to a oorresprai ding extent. The narrow cross-section of tu e produces a Considerable lag: between the oscillations oi' the axis of 'the gyroseope, and the equalization of the liquid, and Lhai. is of paramount importance. The required retarded movement of the iaasses, inaead of being produced by a liquid, could also be brought by other resistance in'oduring` or energy absorbing means il preferred. The. most favorable case is a time uxoveuuut cor responding to abordJ mie-quarter of the time of oscillation of the compass.

Yaterdevel-lilie ari-angouleme or mass movements in a. tube have been already applied to gyroseopieapparaus; see e. f7., U. S. Patent- 8773034. If such a oe3/ice is mounted on a g;}'=.i sa pio apparatus mali-ing' periodical oscilhdiol there will aiie place, owingr to the very sxnai friction of the liquid, a damping unich however owing); to its exceedingly sniail if is of no prua Specification of Letters Patent. l

Application filed .Tune 7, 1911.

Patent-ea June 13,1916.

Serial No. 631,699.

tical importance. It is only when a. considerable difference in time exist-s between the inovemeni of the liquid or the like, and Lilie eleva-tion of the axisE that the damping reaches a higher, practically utilizable value.

In the. accompanying drawing which represents a cross--seeiion Eiirough a, gyroscopic compass, the invention explained.

In the said drawing, .s is the gyroseopic easing in which iiie gyroseope must be iinagined to be mounted about the spindle a a. The fioat is submerged in a. vessel f which (romains mercury the manner well known in the art) and. Carries the Whole. c01npass system. To the card are secured two conununiifating vesseis and The connecting iube a" is iliade. oia suitably narrow cross-section. The Vessels a 'e .filled with liquid, for instance with niereurjyz The wo vessels are rigidly conneezecl by means of a part d to bearings of the gyroscope, and therefore when the compass oscillates, en-V ergy is fixen oil by the gyroseope to the liquid and, then converted into heat in the tube of na ow cross-section.

dint l 'in as my invention and desire to secure. bj,y netter-s Patent is:

l. in a g; 'osi-opio compass, a movable system comin ng;- a gyroscooe, a ninas movable within said movable g teni in a direc tion parallel to the i;jvroscoi'ie rotation axis, and means fixedly related to said system and amyinnietrically disposed as to the rotation axis of the sysieui and f'rictioi'xally enn raged with said mass i'or reiarding the nuwenient thereof.

2. In a ea'roscrqi-s compass. a movable system comprising a-g-q owoiie, and two vessels: lirual in said movable 'han and Connecieil hy a lzube of sa said Vessels and Luhe being' adapted in d a liquid.

Ii. in a yji'roscoiiiff compass. a movable system eouiprisiu;y a \,'rosco e and having a passage oi caiiilia'y here l \,iu in a plane transverse o the axis ahoui u uch said sys lem moves said passage being adapted to contain a mass of liquid.

i. Vin a gyn-swine ei'unpass a system ard lo more abou a veriieal axis Coniprislne a conquis' card and a. 7roseope, and a uboof capillary bore athu'li'. to Said sysciu parallel to mid card. e', ai tube boing' adapted to coniain a liquid.

in a groscopio eoiuimss, a movable system comprising a gyroseope, and liquid holding means tixedly attached to said movable system said holding means comprising a pair of enlarged portions, adapted to hold relatively large luantities of liquid, connected by a restri ted passage which is parrallel to the gyroscope rotation axis so that the liquid will suffer considerable retardation as it passes from one enlarged portion to the other.

6. In a gyroseopic compass, a system movable about a vertical axis said system comprising a gyroscope whose axis is normally horizontal, and means for damping oscillationsof the gyroscope axis about a horizontal axis at right angles thereto. whereby the oscillations of the system about a vertical axis are also damped.

7. In a gyroscopic compass, a system movable about a vertical axis said system comprising a gyroscope whose axis is normally horizontal, a mass movable within said system and adapted to move in one direction or therother according as the gyroseopc axis oscillates in one direction or the other about a horizontal axis at right angles to itself, and frictional means fixed to the system and engaging with the mass so as to cause its movements to lag substantially behind the vertical oscillation of the gyroscope axis.

8. In a g yroscopic compass, a system movable about a vertical axis said system comprising a gyroscope whose axis is normally horizontal and means controlled by and proportional to the vertical oscillation of said gyroscope axis for directly retarding said oscillations frietionally so that oscillations of the system about the vertical axis are indirectly retarded the retarding means acting substantially laterthan the oscillations which bring them into action.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 22nd day of May, 1911, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAX SCH ULEB.

'itncsses t .IULiUs IoJixE, CLAUmUs HINZ. 

